Rod-laying reel with spacer bars



Jan. 18, 1966 Filed May 28, 1962 l8 l8 /8 /8 I i I /s uvvmrons K EARL L. CHAMBERLA/Nana OH/V M. K/EFEI? United States Patent 3,229,968 ROD-LAYING REEL WITH SPACER BARS Earl L. Chamberlain, Westview, and John M, Kiefer, Orange Village, Ohio, assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 28, 1962, Ser. No. 198,151 4 Claims. (Cl. 266--6) This invention relates to an improved laying-type reel for coiling hot-rolled steel rods.

A conventional laying-type reel includes a stationary housing and a revolving coiling mechanism or spinner for laying down a long length of hot steel rod within the housing to form a coil. The housing is formed of a base and an upstanding sectional cylindrical wall surrounding the base. Optionally the reel can include a retractable drum within the housing. A section of the housing can be lifted and the drum lowered to enable finished coils to be removed. Reference may be made to Morgan Patents No, 2,621,914 and 2,924,445 for detailed showings of reels of this type. Since the rod is at a high temperature, it cools to a considerable degree within the reel. One problem is that the rod tends to cool non-uniformly leading to a non-uniform product. Rods of this type commonly are used in the manufacture of steel wire, and any non-uniformities are likely to cause difficulty in the subsequent wire-dr-awing operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved laying-type reel which afiords more nearly uniform cooling of hot-rolled steel rods than reels used heretofore.

A more specific object is to provide an improved layingtype reel which includes spacer bars preferably of material having a low thermal conductivity fixed inside the housing to keep the rod out of direct contact with the housing base and walls, thus minimizing localized nonuniform conduction of heat from the rod.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, we have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View with parts broken away of a laying-type reel constructed in accordance with our invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section on line II-II of FIG- URE 1.

The drawing shows a reel which includes a stationary housing formed of an annular base 10 and an upstanding sectional cylindrical wall 12, 12a surrounding said base. The base has a central opening 13 which accommodates a retractable non-rotating drum 14. The base also has openings through which air can circulate. In operation, the coiling mechanism (not shown) lays down a coil C of hot steel rod on the base. For many operations we leave drum 14 in a lowered position, but we can raise it if we encounter difiiculty in winding a concentric coil. The reel also includes a linkage (not shown) for lifting the wall section 12a to remove a finished coil from the housing. This structure is similar to that shown in the Morgan patents, and reference can be made thereto for a more detailed description. However, we do not ordinarily blow air through the reel as described in the patents, and we disconnect the drum from the operating linkage when coiling with the drum lowered.

In accordance with the present invention, we fix a plurality of horizontal spacer bars 16 to the upper surface of base 10 and a plurality of vertical spacer bars 17 to the inside surface of the wall sections 12 and 12a. Preferably we tack or spot weld the bars to the base and wall sections so that the surfaces are not in complete contact. The vertical bars 17 preferably are Welded to the wall sections only at their upper ends, as indicated at 19, While the horizontal bars are Welded at both ends. The spacer bars preferably are of a material of low thermal conductivity, for example austenitic stainless steel. Although the exact dimensions of the bars are not critical, we find rectangular bars by inch are satisfactory. Most of the horizontal bars preferably are parallel and spaced about 2 inches apart. The spacing of the vertical bars is about 6 inches. Coil C rests on the horizontal bars 16, which keep it out of direct contact with base 10.- Similarly the vertical bars 17 keep the coil out of direct contact with the wall sections 12 and 12a. The spaces between bars afford air gaps which likewise insulate the coil from the housing. Thus the housing has no localized chilling or quenching effect on portions of the coil, and the Whole coil cools uniformly on its outer and inner surfaces.

To demonstrate the benefits attained by use of our invention, We have compared the physical properties of rods coiled in a reel constructed as shown, both with and without our spacer bars. In each instance the rod was of a typical low carbon steel inch in diameter and the coil Weighed approximately 1000 pounds. Without our spacer bars, tensile strength of the rod in different portions of the same coil varied from 48,900 p.s.i. to 58,300 p.s.i., and elongation in a gauge length of eight inches varied from 21 to 30 percent. With our spacer bars and with the drum lowered, we consistently obtained lower tensile strengths Within a more narrow range of 45,300 p.s.i. to 49,700 p.s.i. and elongations within a range of 27 to 33 percent. Even more important is the improvement in formability of the steel for drawing and rollforming. A inch rod coiled in a conventional reel rarely can be drawn to a diameter less than inch without excessive breakage. Using the same drawing equipment, we can draw a similar rod coiled in a reel equipped with our spacer bars to or & inch in diameter. We believe this improvement is due both to the lower tensile strength of the rod and the absence of quenched spots therein. The lower tensile strength makes it possible to impart more cold-work to the rod. Quenched spots are more diflicult to pull through wire-drawing dies, and the extra force required may break the wire.

While we have shown and described only a single embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a laying-type reel, which includes a stationary housing for receiving a coil of hot-rolled steel rod at an elevated temperature, said housing including a base and v 3 an upstanding cylindrical wall surrounding said base, the

combination with said housing of means for keeping the coil out of direct contact with its walls and base and thus minimizing non-uniform localized cooling, said means comprising a plurality of spaced apart horizontal spacer bars fixed to the upper surface of said base and a plurality of spaced apart vertical spacer bars fixed to the inside surface of said wall, said bars being of material of low thermal conductivity, the spaces between said bars providing insulating air gaps.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 in which said bars are spot-Welded to the base and wall to avoid complete contact therewith.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2 in which said vertical bars are spot-welded only at their upper ends.

4. A combination as'defined in claim 3 in which said bars are of austenitic stainless steel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 373,463 11/1887 Lenox 242-83 X 444,551 1/1891 Daniels 242-181 1,338,003 4/1920 Egler 263-6 2,621,914 12/1952 Morgan 266-6 2,924,445 2/ 1960 Morgan 266-6 3,100,634 8/1963 Rubrecht et al. 263--40 X 3,114,539 12/1963 Wilson et a1 266-5 X OTHER REFERENCES Loeck et al., Dec. 15, 19,60, 263-6B, German application 1,094,778 (5 pp. spec., 3 pp. dwg.).

JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner.

MORRIS O. WOLK, Examiner.

Patent No. 3,229,968 January 18, 1966 Earl L. Chamberlain et a1.

ears in the above numbered patthat error app Patent should read as It is hereby certified d that the said Letters ent requiring correction an corrected below.

Column 3, line 16, for the claim reference numeral "3" read 2 Signed and sealed this 13th day of December 1966.

Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. IN A LAYING-TYPE REEL, WHICH INCLUDES A STATIONARY HOUSING FOR RECEIVING A COIL OF HOT-ROLLED STEEL ROD AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE, SAID HOUSING INCLUDING A BASE AND AN-UPSTANDING CYLINDRICAL WALL SURROUNDING SAID BASE, THE COMBINATION WITH SAID HOUSING OF MEANS FOR KEEPING THE COIL OUT OF DIRECT CONTACT WITH ITS WALLS AND BASE AND THUS MINIMIZING NON-UNIFORM LOCALIZED COOLING, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART HORIZONTAL SPACER BARS FIXED TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID BASE AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART VERTICAL SPACER BARS FIXED TO THE INSIDE SURFACE OF SAID WALL, SAID BARS BEING OF MATERIAL OF LOW THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY, THE SPACERS BETWEEN SAID BARS PROVIDING INSULATING AIR GAPS. 